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$$$$ | Alto de Miracruz |
One of the world's great culinary meccas, award-winning Arzak embodies the prestige, novelty, and science-driven creativity of the Basque culinary zeitgeist. The restaurant and its high-tech food lab—both helmed by founder Juan Mari Arzak's daughter Elena these days—are situated in the family's 19th-century home on the outskirts of San Sebastián. The ever-changing dishes (€240 for four courses or €270 for the tasting menu) are downright thrilling for their eye-popping presentations, unexpected flavor combinations, and rare ingredients. The best seats in the house are in the newly renovated upstairs dining room.
Av. Alcalde Jose Elosegui 273, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20015, Spain
Known For
- Scintillating yet unpretentious culinary experience
- Old-school hospitality
- Fresh flavors and striking plating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., June 15–July 2, and 3 wks in early Nov., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | |
The immersive gastro-experience at the envelope-pushing eco-restaurant by renowned Basque chef Eneko Atxa starts with nibbles in the indoor garden, continues on to the kitchen with a quick tour, and culminates in the dining room with a conceptual tasting menu featuring dishes like "dew water" and "essence of the forest."
Legina Auzoa, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48195, Spain
Known For
- Three-Michelin-star dining
- Bilbao's most innovative and sustainable restaurant
- A 10-minute drive from town
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., No dinner Tues.–Thu., Reservations essential
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$$ | El Ensanche |
Museum restaurants tend to be underwhelming, overpriced tourist traps, but Bistró—with its exuberantly colorful dining room and meticulously prepared modern Basque cuisine served by a knowledgeable waitstaff—is a blissful exception to the rule. Tartares, roast meats, local seasonal vegetables, and top-grade seafood are the building blocks of the three set menus, the most expensive of which is a five-course degustación for a paltry €40.
Abandoibarra Etorbidea 2, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48009, Spain
Known For
- River- and museum-side dining on a budget
- Iconic interior design
- Homemade everything, including the bread
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Wed.
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$$$$ | Lasarte |
Basque chef Martín Berasategui has more Michelin stars than any other chef in Spain, and at his flagship in the dewy village of Lasarte-Oria, it's easy to see why. Dishes are Basque at heart but prepared with exacting, French-inflected technique that comes through in dishes like artfully composed salads, elegant caviar preparations, and eel-and-foie-gras mille-feuilles—a Berasategui signature. Of all the three-stars in and around San Sebastián, Martín Berasategui—despite its rather lackluster dining room—consistently delivers when it comes to sheer hedonistic deliciousness.
Calle Loidi 4, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20160, Spain
Known For
- Once-in-a-lifetime dining experience
- Idyllic, white-tablecloth outdoor terrace
- Artful mix of classic and avant-garde
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Tues., and mid-Dec.–mid-Jan. No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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$ | Casco Viejo |
Consistently delicious, shockingly affordable, and unapologetically old-school, Pentxo is the sort of restaurant Bilbaínos like to keep to themselves. Whether you pop in for a pintxo at the bar (the flash-fried antxoas rellenas, or stuffed anchovies, are a must) or come for breakfast or a €16 prix-fixe lunch (opt for whatever seafood main is listed), you'll leave wishing you could be a regular.
Calle Belostikale 20, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
Known For
- Local crowd
- Outstanding pintxos and coffee drinks
- Unbeatable lunch deal
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | |
Tondeluna has six communal tables (with 10 seats each), and all have views into the kitchen, where cooks plate dishes novel and familiar like glazed beef cheeks with apple puree and Getaria-style hake with melty panadera (thinly sliced and roasted) potatoes.
Calle Muro de la Mata 9, Logroño, La Rioja, 26001, Spain
Known For
- Balance of experimental and classic dishes
- Lively dining room
- Excellent value
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues.
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$$$ | |
This traditional sagardotegi 7 km (4 miles) south of San Sebastián is where the region's top chefs—Juan Mari Arzak, Martín Berasategui, and Pedro Subijana, to name a few—ring in every cider season with a resounding ¡txotx! ("cheers" in Basque). Removed from the tourist track and open from mid-January to late April, Zelaia invites guests into its barrel-lined warehouses to chow down on an à la carte menu of bacalao-centric dishes, thick-cut steaks, and—for dessert—local cheeses with quince preserves and walnuts (vegetarian options are also available).
B0 Martindegi 29, Basque Country, 20120, Spain
Known For
- Authentic cider house
- Food that's an echelon above other sagardotegis
- Unlimited cider drinking
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and late Apr.–mid-Jan., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | El Ensanche |
Chef José Miguel Olazabalaga's Aizian is anything but a "hotel restaurant," even if it's situated inside the Meliá Bilbao. Sure, his dishes err on the staid side—you won't find tweezed microgreens and dry-ice displays here—but they're dependably delicious: think sautéed wild mushrooms topped with foie gras and a runny egg or seared venison loin with beets and smoked chestnut puree.
Calle Lehendakari Leizaola 29, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48001, Spain
Known For
- Old-school Basque with a twist
- Dreamy torrija (Spanish "French" toast)
- Good value for fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | |
The Txapartegi brothers—Mikel, Kepa, and Gorka—are the decorated chefs behind this restaurant in elegantly restored house with a sunny terrace. Count on seasonally rotated combinations of carefully chosen ingredients, from fish and duck to vegetables.
Calle Minasoroeta 1, Hondarribia, Basque Country, 20280, Spain
Known For
- Understated Michelin-starred dining
- Freshest seafood and meats
- Scenic seaside environs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Tues., No dinner Sun.
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$$$$ | El Ensanche |
With a wood-paneled dining room awash with antiques, this family operation is a longtime local favorite for top-quality fish and meats cooked over coals. In the open kitchen, wild lubina (sea bass), rodaballo (turbot), and other regional delicacies from land and sea cook to crackly perfection.
Colón de Larreátegui 12, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48001, Spain
Known For
- Masterful grilled dishes
- Familial atmosphere
- Homey, old-timey dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | Parte Vieja |
The narrow stone rooms of a defunct banana warehouse are now one of the finest spots for modern Basque dining. There's an affordable weekend tasting menu that hinges on what's in season, though dishes like seared txuleton and hake in white wine sauce with clams never come off the menu for a reason.
Calle Euskal Herria 3, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Unpretentious yet elegant Basque cuisine
- Fantastic seafood dishes
- Surprisingly good value for this part of town
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Weds., Sun.
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$$ | Gros |
Winner of many a miniature cuisine award (don't miss the prawn-filled txalupa tartlet), this Gros neighborhood standby offers outside-the-box takes on traditional tapas and pintxos. It also serves more substantial dishes for sit-down meals.
Calle General Arteche 8, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Variety of newfangled and traditional pintxos
- Heavenly foie gras
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
Hiding in the basement of a timber building in the heart of the Parte Vieja, this restaurant—where world-renowned chef Martín Berasategui cut his teeth—toes the line between traditional and contemporary Basque cuisine. A recent menu included Navarran white asparagus with hollandaise, poached hake with clam-and-pea sauce, and brûléed torrijas (Spanish "French" toast).
Calle de Fermín Calbetón 4, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Affordable and delectable tasting menus
- Kilometer-zero dining
- Seasonal vegetable delicacies like de lágrima peas and white asparagus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | |
Pamplona's gentry have been flocking to this ornate, French-style café since 1888, but in 1926 Ernest Hemingway made it part of world literary lore in The Sun Also Rises. You can have a drink with a bronze version of the author in his favorite perch at the far end of the bar, or enjoy views of the plaza from a table on the terrace. Service is spotty; grab a beverage and a tapa here, but skip the food.
Pl. del Castillo 44, Pamplona, Navarre, 31001, Spain
Known For
- Major tourist attraction
- Chocolate con churros
- Grand, ornate dining area
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$$$ | |
With creaky wood floors, bare brick walls, and ancient beams and coats of arms, this 15th-century inn turns out classical Castilian and Basque specialties reflective of the region. Try the cochinillo lechal (roast suckling pig) or any of the monkfish preparations. The wine cellar is a gold mine. To reserve a tasting menu, priced at around €55, be sure to call at least two days ahead.
Calle Correría 147, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01001, Spain
Known For
- Fairytale medieval building
- Basque comfort food
- Deep wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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$$$$ | El Ensanche |
This Nueva Cocina Vasca (New Basque Cuisine) favorite houses two concepts: La Despensa, with vibrant, internationally inflected raciones served beneath neon lights and Edison bulbs, and El Atelier, the sedate, white-tablecloth restaurant serving ultra-high-end seafood-centric tasting menus. Both are terrific in their own right; spring for whichever your budget will allow.
Calle de Juan de Ajuriaguerra 8, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48009, Spain
Known For
- Casual and refined dining under one roof
- Flashy decor
- Standout seafood
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | El Ensanche |
This family-friendly restaurant off the tourist track serves a wide range of classic, lovingly prepared dishes ranging from creamy squid croquetas to griddled European lobster. The best value is the €15 weekday menú del día (prix fixe), which can be made vegetarian upon request.
Calle Particular de Estraunza 4–6, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48011, Spain
Known For
- Basque home cooking
- Locals-only vibe
- Killer prix-fixe lunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | Neguri |
If you find yourself in Getxo, the beach town north of Bilbao where the Puente de Vizcaya is located, treat yourself to a meal at this graceful mansion serving mouthwatering dishes like rice with squid and salsa verde and oxtail in Rioja wine sauce. Set menus, ranging in price from €15 to €75 per person, are a good value whether you're looking to save or splurge.
Av. Los Chopos 21, Getxo, Basque Country, 48992, Spain
Known For
- Location near the Puente de Vizcaya
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Variety of set menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. and Tues., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
This boisterous tavern established in 1948 has ceilings dangling with jamones, walls covered with old photos of San Sebastián, and a dining room packed with locals and tourists in equal measure. Everything from the Iberian ham to the little olive-pepper-and-anchovy combos called "penaltis" will whet your appetite, but those who opt for a full meal shouldn't overlook the dry-aged txuleton.
Calle 31 de Agosto 7, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Hand-cut Iberian ham
- Melt-in-your-mouth steak
- €20 prix-fixe lunch
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$$$$ | |
This bucolic farmhouse in the hills above Errenteria, 8 km (5 miles) northeast of San Sebastián, is a veritable laboratory of modern cooking techniques helmed by (arguably) the most experimental chef in Spain today, Andoni Aduriz. The obligatory three-hour, 23-course experience is unabashedly abstract with dishes like "don't search, find" and "tradition: onion and squid," all complemented by zany wild-card wines. The current menu, announced in April 2022, was created in tandem with a Basque filmmaker, a writer, and an illustrator.
Aldura Aldea 20, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20100, Spain
Known For
- Most "out there" of the Basque three-stars
- Abstract dishes
- Long, immersive dining experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. and mid-Jan.–mid-Apr., Reservations essential
